Apple Watch launch window announced

Dolby said:
Why a limited array of watches?
What about the other iOS8 devices?
I thought the support of legacy product was a big thing for Apple?

It will work with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, and iPhone 5s, Apple said at the announcement.
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All questions to which we don't know the answers yet because nothing further has been announced so we have to take those commitments at face value. The array of watches is actually quite diverse - more than any other smartwatch when you take into account 3 different watch models and I'm not even sure how many interchangeable straps.

The real challenge is if they've figured out a way to prevent the inevitable obsolescence of these devices. Some kind of modularity perhaps....
 
cerebus said:
All questions to which we don't know the answers yet because nothing further has been announced so we have to take those commitments at face value.

The real challenge is if they've figured out a way to prevent the inevitable obsolescence of these devices. Some kind of modularity perhaps....
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I think most people don't care about that sort of thing. Probably the people that upgrade their computers and that sort of malarkey will. But not most. They will buy a new one every couple of years (Much as they do their $600 phones)
 
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JStrike said:
I think most people don't care about that sort of thing. Probably the people that upgrade their computers and that sort of malarkey will. But not most. They will buy a new one every couple of years
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They certainly care about that sort of thing. Watch fashionistas don't care about that sort of thing. Hodinkee doesn't care. Most people however will care.
 
Who cares?

Rather give me Windows 10 and HoloLens.

You can throw the silly watch away. :p
 
cerebus said:
They certainly care about that sort of thing. Watch fashionistas don't care about that sort of thing. Hodinkee doesn't care. Most people however will care.
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In my opinion, most people (That are within Apple's target market) will not care.
I guess we will see next year who was right :)
 
JStrike said:
Status yes, appreciation in value? I have never found people to even consider that when buying a high end watch.
As for whether it will be "obsolete" in a few years, I doubt people will care about that either. People don't tend to analyse these decisions that much. It is generally along the lines of "I feel like a new watch, lets go see what Cartier, Breitling etc have". Just add Apple Watch Edition to that list
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Whether Apple has the cachet to rival these brands is yet to be determined, especially when you have a gadget competing with something that is pricey because of the level of engineering detail that has gone into making it.

I don't disagree entirely with what you said, I just think that it will be a hard sell on traditional medium to high end watch buyers. A smartwatch by Apple simply does not have the appeal of say a Breitling Navitimer (as an example within the expected price range).
 
Maverick Jester said:
Whether Apple has the cachet to rival these brands is yet to be determined, especially when you have a gadget competing with something that is pricey because of the level of engineering detail that has gone into making it.

I don't disagree entirely with what you said, I just think that it will be a hard sell on traditional medium to high end watch buyers. A smartwatch by Apple simply does not have the appeal of say a Breitling Navitimer (as an example within the expected price range).
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I don't disagree with you.
However, it is not the engineering that is important on a high end watch (Although is is part of what is important). What is important is the desirability of the watch. Quite a nebulous thing, but it incorporates design, brand, exclusivity and engineering.
Apple seems to have realised this as they have been going after the fashion angle and not the etch angle. Which is exactly right. As to whether they have pulled it off remains to be seen
 
Maverick Jester said:
Whether Apple has the cachet to rival these brands is yet to be determined, especially when you have a gadget competing with something that is pricey because of the level of engineering detail that has gone into making it.

I don't disagree entirely with what you said, I just think that it will be a hard sell on traditional medium to high end watch buyers. A smartwatch by Apple simply does not have the appeal of say a Breitling Navitimer (as an example within the expected price range).
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If any company does have that cachet, it must be Apple.
 
JStrike - will you pay R10,000+ for an Apple watch?
 
JStrike said:
I don't disagree with you.
However, it is not the engineering that is important on a high end watch (Although is is part of what is important). What is important is the desirability of the watch. Quite a nebulous thing, but it incorporates design, brand, exclusivity and engineering.
Apple seems to have realised this as they have been going after the fashion angle and not the etch angle. Which is exactly right. As to whether they have pulled it off remains to be seen
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Agreed, but at the same time, the desirability is linked to higher standards of engineering- better and more accurate movements, designs and simply brand recognition inherent to these factors. There are a number of quartz watches that are fantastically designed, and built from top-notch materials, but their desirability peaks at a lower threshold because they lack the cachet of the more traditional mechanical watchmakers. Look at the Citizen Campanolas as examples.

Either way, it will be interesting to see how it pans out.
 
cerebus said:
R50 000 for a wristwatch that will be obsolete in a few years. Yeah pricey. Wonder how they're going to deal with the whole obsolescence thing with a watch. Not exactly going to be a family heirloom is it?
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V1 will be obsolete when they release V2.

Still wanna pay R50k for the first version watch?
 
Maverick Jester said:
Perhaps in time, they might, but right now, they are no better than the likes of Seiko, IMO.
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While undoubtedly there are some people who care deeply about the watch movement, a very large part of the the luxury market is about status not engineering.
 
icyrus said:
While undoubtedly there are some people who care deeply about the watch movement, a very large part of the the luxury market is about status not engineering.
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Totally agreed. Will be interesting to see how successful the Apple Watch is.
 
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